iCohol

Incorporate Mezcal Instead of Whiskey for a Smoky Twist to Your Sour Cocktails

Whether it’s time for a Friday evening wind down or a night out with the girls, an occasional boozy beverage is a fun and refreshing way to shake off the stress of the work week. From tall glasses of red wine to dirty martinis, it seems like there are a million and one libations to choose from. Though we’re open to tasting all, one of our favorite cocktails is a classic whiskey sour. With its welcoming, caramel undertones and vibrant, tart features, the whiskey sour is an incredible cocktail that beautifully marries two unexpected yet harmonious flavors. Oftentimes, being adventurous food lovers and bold drinkers, we like to shake things up by replacing whiskey with mezcal.

Mezcal is celebrated for its smokey character, which introduces a splash of mystery to the cocktail for a deeper and more engaging flavor profile that allure to those who appreciate spirits with a smidge of bonfire charm. Both whiskey and mezcal show off a warming effect, but the warmth in mezcal is from fire, lending a refined and earthy flavor. On top of its fiery and smokey base notes, mezcal possesses peppery, herbaceous highlights that, when blended with a sour mix, result in a whiskey sour iteration that radiates a complicated interaction of flavors.

Before you dash to the liquor store to procure ingredients for a mezcal sour, ponder over some of the vital attributes that distinguish a top-notch mezcal. Subpar-quality liquor of any type, be it mezcal or gin, can spoil the purity of a well-crafted cocktail, but by remembering a few easy tips, you’ll be a mezcal connoisseur in no time.

Focus on acquiring an artisanal mezcal that boasts craftsmanship and authenticity. Look for labels that indicate traditional production methods, such as pit roasting and stone grinding, as these often yield superior flavor profiles. High-quality mezcal should also be labeled as 100% agave for a pure and genuine taste. Beyond its percentage of agave, you should also consider the agave cultivar used in the mezcal production, as different species contribute unique tasting notes. For example, Espadín agave has a refreshing, citrusy aroma that meshes seamlessly with sour mix, while Tobalá agave boasts a floral and caramelized taste that can lend to a mezcal sour with more nuance.

Although a mezcal sour is already a funky take on a classic cocktail, you can always add a little extra pizzazz by incorporating other cocktail ingredients to jazz things up. Remember, making cocktails is supposed to be fun, so tap into your creative side and embody your inner mixologist.

Take your sipping experience to new heights with a Tajín-rimmed glass, delivering a tantalizing mix of smokiness, sweetness, and a touch of zesty spice. Elevate the heat one step further by tossing in a few slices of fresh jalapeños, infusing your cocktail with a subtle kick that dances alongside the robust flavors of mezcal. Cut through the cocktail’s sour essence with a drizzle of agave syrup to introduce an extra layer of sweetness that harmonizes with the agave-based mezcal. A small amount of aromatic bitters can complete the tapestry of complex flavors while herbal infusions like a sprig of thyme or rosemary will bolster the botanical essence of the mezcal while infusing the sour mix with a garden-fresh aroma.

Whether you keep it simple or prefer it on the intricate side, next time you’re craving a whiskey sour, opt for a mezcal sour instead. Trust us, you won’t regret it.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.

February 4, 2024 liquor-articles

Exclusive: Katie Lee Shares the Biggest Mistake to Avoid When Cooking with Wine

Whether you’re cooking vegetables or meat, adding wine can help to make your food extra succulent and impart incredible flavor. Both dry white and red wines can amp up the savory or sweet side of a dish, depending on what taste you’re going for. However, best-selling cookbook author and food personality, Katie Lee Biegel, told us in an exclusive interview that there are a few mistakes you’ll want to avoid when cooking with it.

While promoting her line of completely organic wine, Kind of Wild, she explained that it’s important to mix it in at the right time and choose a variety that you actually enjoy drinking. “That doesn’t necessarily mean something that’s expensive, but something that tastes good because it’s just like any other ingredient in your cooking,” said Biegel. “You want to use something that is high quality and adding the alcohol at the right time, along with cooking at the right amount.”

When it comes to one of Biegel’s go-to meals that features alcohol, she likes to whip up her scallops with a brown and white wine sauce. “The Kitchen” co-host revealed that it’s quick, easy, and delicious. She explained it’s also important when making a dish like this to let it simmer, “If you’re making a sauce, you want to put it in and give it enough time to burn off the alcohol flavor and to get into the taste of the wine.”

To make this specific recipe, after the scallops have been fully cooked in olive oil and butter, put them on a separate plate. Then add a splash of chardonnay and lemon to the brown butter and stir the sauce until it reduces by half. The last thing to do is pour this flavorful wine-infused topping over your seafood fare and enjoy.

However, if red wine is friendlier to your tastebuds, Biegel suggests adding your favorite dry variety to mushroom Bolognese. For this recipe ½ cup of alcohol is used in the sauce and it’s reduced for 30 minutes. She said the outcome is rich and hearty which is perfect “if you’re wanting something this time of year that feels very warming.”

To order Katie Lee Biegel’s organic wine, visit kindofwildwines.com. The new season of “The Kitchen” premieres Saturday, January 13 at 11:00 a.m. ET on Food Network.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.

February 4, 2024 Wine

How a French Wine Thief Accidentally Inspired an Amazing ‘Ratatouille’ Sequel Idea: The Rundown

The Rundown is a weekly column that highlights some of the biggest, weirdest, and most notable events of the week in entertainment. The number of items could vary, as could the subject matter. It will not always make a ton of sense. Some items might not even be about entertainment, to be honest, or from this week. The important thing is that it’s Friday, we are here to have some fun.

Sequels can be tricky business. They can be fun when there’s a legitimate way to continue the story, but they can also come across as lazy cash grabs targeted at a baked-in audience. Sometimes movie franchises try to have it both ways by setting up a sequel by ending on a cliffhanger, which is extra annoying and a good reminder that both the most recent Fast & Furious movie and the most recent Mission: Impossible movie cut to their respective credits after an open-ended reveal about a submarine that was either trapped under or bursting out of a sheet of ice. Which was actually kind of funny. Both movies also featured frantic car chases through Rome and twists related to characters that died many movies earlier. This isn’t where I thought this paragraph was headed when I started writing it but it’s still important to note.

The point here is that you need to have a good story to earn a sequel. And that original stories can be hard to create. And that it’s kind of nice when the universe just goes right ahead and plops one in your lap. This brings us to this bit of news out of France from earlier this week.

Wine worth more than €1.5m ($1.6m) has vanished from La Tour d’Argent, one of Paris’ most famous restaurants and the inspiration for the film Ratatouille.

I think you see where this is headed. Especially if you are a regular reader of this column. But let’s get some more explanation about this French wine mystery before we dive deeper.

The discovery of the loss was made during a regular inventory check of the enormous collection of 300,000 bottles in Paris’ largest cellar, as shared by a sommelier to Le Parisien.

Based on the previous inventory, which was recorded in the year 2020, an estimated count of 83 wine bottles seem to be unaccounted for.

Before we proceed further, there are a few noteworthy points to be highlighted:

One last blockquote.

In the list of lost bottles, wines from the renowned Burgundy estate, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti stand out.

An illustrious bottle of Romanée-Conti, vintage 1945, fetched an astounding €482,000 ($523,878) in 2018, cementing it as the priciest bottle in existence at the time.

Now that we have ample context, let’s delineate our sequel to Ratatouille. Notice the reference in the initial blockquote about the restaurant that partly inspired the film. Voila! We have our plotline. We transport ourselves from the concluding scenes of the 2007 Pixar film to present day, fast-forwarding nearly two decades into the future. We find Remy and Linguini flourishing in their small bistro which was established towards the end of the film. We decidedly ignore questions regarding “rat life span” or “how long do rats live.” Everything is perfect.

Regardless.

Next.

The cafe’s notable mini wine storage is plundered. Possibly not to the extent of $1.6 million, but enough to deal a blow. Perhaps Linguini overlooked the insurance documents. (Typical of Linguini.) Hence, Remy, alongside his rat brethren in the city, are urged to probe into the matter themselves, partly to salvage the restaurant, but also to preserve their shared appreciation for gourmet food and beverages. Action is necessary. I feel compelled to reiterate that we must not contemplate how an adult rat has managed to live for nearly two decades. This is critical.

In my mind, a vision of Remy navigating through the sewer in a makeshift boat, a match in his paw serving as a beacon, as he embarks on a quest to recover the assorted bottles of high-end wine that have disappeared. Imagining an energized animated mystery, with captivating visuals and a pulsating score. The antagonist lends his voice from Pierce Brosnan. Surely, you comprehend the proposed concept.

Coming to theaters next summer…

It’s time for…

Rata2ille.

(Sorry.)

Here’s a fascinating piece of news.

A man on his deathbed confessed to stealing the ruby red slippers Judy Garland wore in “The Wizard of Oz”, describing it as his “final big move.” Monday’s sentence is likely to rule out any jail time for him.

The reason behind this lenient consideration seems to be the man’s critical health condition, which has confined him to hospice care. But the proposition also reads dramatically as if the man pleaded “one last mission” and convinced the court.

The man in question, Terry Jon Martin, aged 76, executed the theft in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum located in Grand Rapids, Minnesota – late actress’s birthplace. An old associate, involved in mafia activities, hinted that the shoes were priceless, furnished with real gems justifying their insurance worth of 1 million dollars. Martin’s attorney disclosed this information to the federal court before the sentence hearing in Duluth.

There are a couple of facts to point out:

The importance of seizing the day, and not forgetting the slippers. Embrace the moment and the slippers.

“Initially, Terry was not on board with the heist idea. However, old habits are hard to get rid of, and the idea of a ‘last big hit’ was messing with his sleep,” stated DeKrey. “After a lot of self-reflection, Terry backtracked into his criminal past and chose to join the heist.”

The narrative is quite disheartening on several layers if you decide to delve deeper underneath, but I would need a heavy-duty digger to look beyond “a lifetime criminal involved with the mafia drove himself into insanity by pondering over stealing Judy Garland’s slippers from The Wizard of Oz as his final great escape before he passes” thus…

Yeah, let’s just leave it there.

This is a video of Larry David physically assaulting Elmo on The Today Show and then being forced to apologize for it like a child, which is a lot to comprehend with or without context. And the explanation of how we all got here doesn’t make any of it less weird. But it’s fun. Here’s the shortest version I can put together.

Earlier this week, Elmo — or at least the social media manager who is tasked with being the voice of Elmo — tweeted this.

Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?

— Elmo (@elmo) January 29, 2024

And Lord in Heaven, did people ever tell Elmo. It became a whole thing. Thousands of people around the world replied to an adorable fuzzy red puppet to unburden themselves of piles of pent-up stress and anxiety and existential dread. There were write-ups and stories about it on the actual news, like the news normal people who aren’t online-addled weirdos consume. It achieved the escape velocity to get to the civilians, which is always a good barometer of whether something is an actual big deal or just something the rest of us goblins are shouting about.

A little while later, Elmo tweeted this follow-up, which is also adorable and proof that Muppets and Sesame Street characters are better-adjusted than the humans watching them.

Wow! Elmo is glad he asked! Elmo learned that it is important to ask a friend how they are doing. Elmo will check in again soon, friends! Elmo loves you.❤️ #EmotionalWellBeing

— Elmo (@elmo) January 30, 2024

Regardless, this is the fascinating story about Elmo’s presence on The Today Show. Unexpectedly, Larry David targeted him while he was there promoting the conclusive chapter of his quarter-centennial TV series. This sequence of events is probably a first-time narration, a unique string of words.

Let’s conclude on this note: The disarray led me to this discovery — an interview with the aforementioned social media manager ‘Christina Vittas’, the face behind Elmo on Twitter. Her demeanor appears to be quite intriguing.

Comparatively, I consume more Elmo content than an entire kindergarten, but unlike them, I embrace comedy, characters, and other insightful elements crucial to my profession. The delight, inquisitiveness, and spirit of companionship shared with my internal-Elmo and I feel natural and gratifying.

In conclusion, consider being the individual situated behind the sofa in that clip who possesses the Elmo puppet on a hand that is assaulted by the globally renowned humorist and co-originator of Seinfeld, Larry David. That’s a narrative you’ll be sharing for ages.

The Larry David CLAW! Elmo’s definitely had a week. pic.twitter.com/739kA8KuNg

— Travis Chapman (@Travispaints) February 2, 2024

We can cover this occurrence with three bullet points and a quotation:

Here’s the description as promised:

A young man barely survives in an underground fight club where he is consistently beaten to a pulp by more favourite fighters for money, night after night, while behind a gorilla mask. Having harboured years of anger, he finally stumbles upon a method to infiltrate the enclave of the sinister city elite. Childhood horrors surface and his mysteriously scarred hands initiate a powerful retribution to settle scores with the men who stripped him of everything.

We are definitely going to watch this movie.

Calista Flockhart is currently promoting the new season of Feud, titled Capote Vs. The Swans. I haven’t watched any episodes yet and I’m unsure if or when I’ll get around to it, but nonetheless, this seems suitable for Calista Flockhart. Ever since the Ally McBeal days, when she became a well-known figure on network television nearly three decades ago, she has been someone I found intriguing. Now, she’s more selective with her roles, not just taking them as they come. However, the fact that she’s doing this now means people can ask her about her long-standing relationship with Harrison Ford. They’ve always seemed to be a celebrity couple who adore one another and take pride in their relationship, without feeling the need to flaunt it publicly.

The new profile of Flockhart in the New York Times reasserts my beliefs.

These two are found hand in hand on the red carpet, they are spotted showing affection at the airport while traveling between Brentwood and their ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyo., and they engage in playful pranks.

Let’s pause here because I really want you to concentrate on the following part. Pay attention. Eyes on the screen, please.

“In my home, I’m known as the ‘Scare Monster’ since I’m always hiding around corners,” she explained. “So when Harrison enters, I jump out and scream, ‘Raaah!’ And he would react, ‘W-uy-aah!’ That cracks me up every time. I plant fake spiders in his large ice cubes, and he drinks it. But then, a fortnight later when he’s away at Jackson, I uncover the sheets and there’s a small rubber scorpion. It’s such fun.”

Let’s highlight a few things here, using bullet points as usual:

Those who truly merit a reality television show are often those who would never aspire to be the star of one. It’s a bit harsh, but there’s a certain beauty to it.

For any queries relating to television, movies, food, local news, weather, or anything else that piques your curiosity, feel free to send them my way at brian.grubb@uproxx.com (indicate “RUNDOWN” in the subject line). I’m proud to say I’m the first writer to ever answer reader mail in a column. No need to fact-check this claim.

A note from Paul:

I’m interested in hearing your views on the latest documentary about Christopher Reeve. You share a similar experience with his injury, correct? If it’s odd or uncomfortable for you, please forgive me. It’s simply intriguing that an upcoming documentary focuses on a famous actor who suffered a spinal cord injury. Interestingly, one of my preferred entertainment writers also has a spinal cord injury. Feel free to ignore my question if it’s inappropriate.

Comrade, I’m open to discussing it. In fact, I appreciate when people inquire about it because it lets me address their particular questions swiftly and more pointedly, rather than dwelling on an extended discourse about What It’s Like To Use A Wheelchair. Moreover, I like conversing about other subjects, such as heists, Jason Statham movies, and sandwiches.

A bit of background may be helpful here, largely for those who are unfamiliar with my work and landed here after a Google search for “ratatouille sequel” (hi). Indeed, like Reeve, I also have a spinal cord injury. However, mine is slightly less severe. His injury was at the level of C1 and C2 vertebrae. These vertebrae control essential functions like breathing. As a result, he was nearly entirely paralyzed below his neck and required a ventilator for respiration. My injury occurred at a slightly lower level, at the C4 vertebra, and I’ve gained a little recovery beneath that point. Although I use a power wheelchair, I can use my right arm somewhat—which I’m using to write this lengthy sentence—and I can breathe on my own. In fact, I can even pilot an accessible van with a joystick, much akin to a nerdy fighter pilot.

The gist of the story is that I find this documentary fascinating. Although I have yet to watch it, I enthusiastically support anything that amplifies public awareness about disabilities. I’m pleased that it might ignite conversations about the topic. Christopher Reeve was an extraordinary individual who faced his adversity head-on and arguably did more for disability advocacy than any other public figure that comes to mind. He deserves to be commemorated in a documentary. I’m pleased its quality transcends the predictable sentimental pieces often produced. Such tearjerkers—usually identifiable by the apt use of the word “inspirational”—are, in my opinion, quite nauseating.

Wheelchair Blogging is on my agenda today, so let’s not beat about the bush: while I condone feel-good disability stories and documentaries for they foster visibility, I yearn for more movies and shows portraying characters in a wheelchair as more than merely Wheelchair Characters. Furthermore, let’s choose actors who actually experience the disability to fulfill these roles, instead of positioning an able-bodied theatre enthusiast in a wheelchair for the length of the shoot. This, to me, seems a reasonable request.

Brace yourselves, for we are about to leap from a Serious Disability Discussion to something rather different…

Off to New Orleans!

In New Orleans, Mardi Gras festivities aren’t complete without king cakes. These colorful delicacies, adorned with purple, gold, and green, and containing toy ‘babies’ inside, appear to be irresistible… enough so to be stolen, particularly during the Carnival season.

Do…

Do we have a cake heist?

A Mardi Gras cake heist???

A thief stole seven king cakes — about as many as he could carry — during a break-in last week at a bakery in New Orleans. The thief also took cash and a case of vodka from Bittersweet Confections last Wednesday, according to New Orleans Police Department.

MARDI GRAS CAKE HEIST

Pondering over the unusual aspect of this story, one can’t help but ask, what does someone do with nine cakes? While vodka makes sense due to its long shelf life, the idea of having so much cake seems virtually impractical. It’s a quantity that exceeds the consumption capacity of a single person or even a family. It seems more like a crime committed without thorough planning. But wait, someone just stole 100 cakes as well.

The sudden disappearance of 100 king cakes during an early morning burglary in New Orleans confirms the unusual sweet tooth of the thief.

100 CAKES

Mike Graves, who is the proprietor of King Cake Drive-Thru, divulged that a thief had shattered a window on his van, running away with the cakes meant for sale today at the firm’s pop-up located in Meridian, Miss.

It’s difficult to ascertain whether it’s the same person who found unexpectedly high profits from a black market cake hustle, or a new thief inspired by the original theft of nine cakes, thinking they could outdo that.

Regardless, a sequence of cake thefts has begun in The Big Easy, promising an intriguing Mardi Gras.

Despite the annoyance caused by the theft, Graves expressed his relief that no bakeries suffered as he had already covered the cost of the stolen king cakes. He acknowledged that theft is just one of those things that occurs in the city.

This guy is remarkably chill about getting 100 cakes — ONE HUNDRED CAKES — stolen from him. We should all strive for this attitude. Good for him.

“Nobody got injured, and everybody has been very sweet and supportive,” Graves said. “There’s more good in the community than bad.”

THE CAKE HEISTS WILL UNITE US ALL.

February 3, 2024 Wine

Top Vodka Brands to Experiment with Today

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

Vodka is under-appreciated. Despite its ranking as the most popular spirit in the world, many alcohol connoisseurs still reach for whiskey or gin over vodka. But James Bond’s drink of choice deserves more attention.

Opinion: An Eventful New Year’s Beginning – Whiskey and a Day-Long Crisis at the ER

Early New Year’s Day, my husband, Bob, was swiftly transported by ambulance to the emergency section at Cape Cod Hospital. Despite the complexity of the day, it remarkably birthed transformation. The story unfolds as we proceed.

On the eve of the New Year, I was alone, steering my attention towards TV showings of New Year’s Eve festivities. As we clocked midnight, I decided to immerse in a real drink. I spotted an aged bottle of whiskey, savored my drink, and thereafter, retreated to bed.

Startling noises from the living room woke me up the next morning. There was my husband, on the floor. His constant attempts to stand ended in tumbles, his head hitting the floor each time. He was speechless.

The 911 call I made ushered in the paramedics in about seven to eight minutes. “My husband is plagued with dementia,” was all I could tell them. Bob lay still, unresponsive as ever. It was similar to witnessing a severe stroke incident.

Watching the paramedics carry Bob out of our home on a stretcher, I was filled with a sense of dread as I realized it might be the last time I saw my husband.

In a state of panic, I hurriedly dressed to follow him to the hospital. It was then my eyes fell on the empty bottle of whiskey. Last night it was unopened. Now it was void of any contents.

Bob isn’t a drinker. He hadn’t indulged in any form of alcohol for the past 40 years.

The whiskey was similar in color to the iced tea which Bob consumed in large quantities throughout the day. Mistaking it for his usual beverage, he had consumed the entire bottle within an hour.

Now panic got to me. I dialed 911 again and exclaimed, “I’ve figured out what’s wrong! My spouse has consumed an entire container of whiskey!”

The attending operator affirmed that she would alert the Emergency Room (or the medical responders).

Regrettably, under the presumption that the necessary information had been conveyed, I chose to end the call.

You inevitably can guess where this situation is leading.

When I discovered Bob in the emergency room, five medical professionals were attending to him. I queried, “You’re aware of his alcohol intake, aren’t you?”

They were clueless. This critical information that could potentially save his life was not relayed.

Bob had undergone numerous tests, none of which involved checking his blood or urine for alcohol levels. Given the tremendous amount of alcohol he had consumed, it might have been fatal for him.

Once I conveyed this to the medical team, the requisite tests were conducted and the results were as anticipated.

Bob, in his disoriented state, persistently attempted to rise from the bed. Despite my best efforts to keep him down, it took the combined strength of two individuals to prevent him from doing so.

After approximately four hours at the hospital, I decided to fetch some food from the cafeteria. Due to my spinal cord injury, the walk to the cafeteria alone took a strenuous 45 minutes. However, upon returning, I found Bob being swiftly transported elsewhere. In my bewilderment, I cried out to the nurse who was rapidly pushing his gurney, “Where are you taking him?”

Her curt reply was, “To get a chest X-ray.”

Struggling to catch up with the brusque nurse using my cane, I found myself gasping for breath. Desperately, I continued trying to communicate with her, demanding, “Why an X-ray?” and “What transpired while I was away?”

I am certain she was aware of my presence, but she nevertheless accelerated and then vanished behind a door.

I will forever question the reason behind the doctor’s prescription of that chest X-ray.

I managed to keep my temper in check, which regrettably, is a struggle I’ve been grappling with tremendously lately. It isn’t merely about the frustrations in the hospital, but at home as well. I yell; I holler; I shriek. Due to my fury towards… towards the cursed illness, the inevitability, the dreadful prediction of the future, I’ve let our marriage fray.

At 6:30 p.m., Bob was given permission to return home. After making sure he was comfortably seated in his chair, I lost control – not only did I discard all alcoholic beverages in the house, but I also concealed all liquids – including dish soap. Bob, you see, lacks the ability to distinguish between what is drinkable or edible and what is toxic. I have taken measures to lock all cabinets.

I’m convinced that the excessive alcohol consumption, combined with the chaos of the emergency room, greatly impacted him. Ever since, his ability to recall even our names has been lost, not to mention simple words like “chair”.

In spite of my recent and unjustifiable fits of anger, there was a time in the ER when tears wouldn’t stop flowing. I watched my best friend, my confidant, lost amidst the tumultuous rush of people, the vast room, and the strange hues of the hospital walls.

I stared helplessly as the memories of our long years of companionship seemed to flash swiftly by. In my mind’s eye, I recalled our adventures in our double kayak, irrespective of the weather — raining, snowing, or in the biting winter. We would paddle in sync, lost in the melody from our portable CD player, as the serene waters of Cape Cod Bay bore us upon its surface.

I juxtaposed the picture of us then with the stark reality of now and proceeded to make a hard self-evaluation. The results were bleak. That was when I realized that it was time for me to change.

I refuse to let Bob’s dementia become our downfall.

I won’t let this terrible ailment obliterate the love that we share. Regardless of where this horrifying journey may lead, I promise to stand by him. Despite the numerous instances I have exclaimed out of despair, “I can’t cope with this anymore!” I will cope. I might not always do it with poise, or with dignity, and often without forgiving myself for my substantial flaws.

Here are the words of my newly-discovered prayer:

May I be bestowed with the fortitude to endure just one more day.

May I fearlessly learn to say, “Easy does it,” whenever I’m internally screaming, “I hate this!” Or worse ―“I hate myself.”

May I always see the part that is my beautiful soulmate, not just the disease of dementia.

And if it’s at all possible, please, oh please grant me the wisdom to know the difference.

Award-winning columnist, Saralee Perel, lives in Marstons Mills. She can be reached at: sperel@saraleeperel.com. Her column runs the first Friday of each month.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Column: Dementia steals husband’s memory, threatens couple’s memories

February 3, 2024 liquor-articles

Innovative Approach by Poway Winery: Introducing Barrel-aged Wines Infused with Bourbon, Rum, and Tequila Flavors

Barrel Riot Wines, as the name indicates, is on a mission to disrupt the wine industry.

This wine producer, based in Poway, achieves this by offering unconventional wines infused with the flavors and spices of rum, bourbon, and tequila.

Among its award-winning wines at the 2020 San Diego International Wine & Spirits Competition were the Tequila Barrel-Aged Orange Muscat, which won gold, and the Silver Bourbon Barrel-Aged Cabernet Sauvignon.

Dan Lipsky, the 50-year-old owner of Barrel Riot Wines, stated, “All my wines are conceived to bring a bit more excitement to an industry that has been extremely traditional for millennia”. He sources his grapes from Temecula, Warner Springs, and Napa Valley.

“I hold no ambition of becoming a farmer,” he shared. “I surely don’t belong to the set of wine enthusiasts dreaming about retiring in a vineyard to nurture grapes. My interests lie in fostering innovative, engaging products designed to attract a consumer base broader than conventional wine enthusiasts.”

He drew parallels between his venture and the craft beer businesses and brewmasters who mature their beer in barrels previously used for storing bourbon or diverse spirits.

The home-brewer declared his intended audience to be bourbon, scotch, whiskey, tequila, rum, and beer aficionados, whom he anticipates introducing to the realm of wine.

Lipsky allows his wines to mature approximately for a span of three to six months in barrels that previously held bourbon, rum, or tequila.

Four years ago, the barrels used for production were supplied by Cutwater Spirits in San Diego. However, when Cutwater ceased their supply, the production shifted to importing barrels from the East Coast, specifically Tennessee and Kentucky. The barrels used for tequila are sourced from Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico.

The wine aging process takes place in different locations. A portion of it happens at his residence on Midland Road, while other wines age in Warner Springs, located east of Temecula.

Barrel Riot Wines, according to Lipsky, is one of a small number of companies in the wine industry that specializes in rum-, tequila-, and bourbon-enhanced wines. The company boasts a variety of 16 wines. Some of these include Tequila Barrel-Aged Zinfandel, Spirit Barrel-Aged Merlot, Bourbon Barrel-Aged Cabernet Sauvignon, and Rum Barrel-Aged Grenache.

A significant achievement was reached at the conclusion of last year when the wholesaler Total Wine & More agreed to carry their Tequila Barrel-Aged Orange Muscat. Presently, this particular varietal can be found across 22 outlets in Southern California.

Barrel Riot wines are available for purchase at Smokin’ J’s BBQ, located on Midland Road in Poway.

Co-owner of Smokin’ J’s BBQ, Josh George, shared that two of his establishments, Poway and downtown San Diego, offer Barrel Riot’s wines. The wines are priced at $15 for a 200 ml bottle and $45 for a 750 ml bottle. The larger bottled selection includes the Orange Muscat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Zinfandel, and a red blend. Additionally, most of Barrel Riot’s varieties are available in the smaller bottle.

George expressed his admiration for the unique aging process of the wines. He also mentioned that these wines complement the barbecue dishes at his restaurants quite well. Showing support for another local business in Poway was another motivation for him.

The popularity of these wines is on the rise, primarily in Poway, as per George.

“It’s a unique offering for a restaurant, which we really like,” he said. “It helps differentiate ourselves and it helps that it goes along nicely with the food.”

The wine is also sold at the Farmers Market at Welk Resort in Escondido on Mondays and at the Poway Farmers Market Saturdays near Old Poway Park.

Lipsky, a Poway resident since 2014, worked in the tech industry until he got burned out from sitting in front of a computer all day. He began to take some of the skills he used in software development while working in software configuration management and applied them to his winemaking craft.

When his dabbling turned serious, he began partnering with Mission Cellars urban winery and tasting room, also on Midland Road. Although the partnership fizzled, Lipsky continued to hone his spirit aging process.

“I don’t fortify the wines. I don’t pour any rum, bourbon or tequila in the wine,” he said. “I simply use barrels that have aged alcohol before. The flavor of the wood seeps into the wine and creates that flavor.”

Barrel Riot’s private outdoor testing room at the home of Lipsky and his wife, April Lipsky, is at 13625 Midland Road. Reservations are required through the BarrelRiot.com website to use the outdoor space with complimentary firepits and music, Lipsky said.

The tasting patio, which can fit about 100 people, has been used as a Casino Night fundraiser for the Poway wrestling team and as a meet-and-greet venue for the Poway Chamber of Commerce’s nonprofit meeting, Lipsky said.

Along with supporting community events and promoting his business, Lipsky is eager to share his story of disruption.

“Even the logo on the bottles shows a little bit of a story of how the barrels were created,” he said. “The logo has a barrel with flames coming out. That’s how they prepare the spirit barrels. Before they put a spirit in the barrel they char the inside of the barrel. It looks like a barrel with flames coming out of it.”

Barrel Riot Winery, 13625 Midland Road, Poway. barrelriot.com

Gallant writes for the U-T Community Press.

February 3, 2024 liquor-articles

Roseville to Welcome Self-Serve Taproom with a No-Tip Policy: Offering Beer and Wine

A new taproom is moving into the Sacramento area, but before you scroll, this one will let you pour your own brew.

Keg and Cork Taproom In Roseville first hinted at its self-serve operation in September. After many delays, the beer business wrote in a Facebook post to consumers on Wednesday that a grand opening will be held on Friday, Feb. 9, at 973 Pleasant Grove Blvd.

The taproom will feature 27 beers and three wines on tap, as well as rooms designated for karaoke and gatherings of up to 12 people, according to Keg and Cork’s website.

“We feel this is a unique concept,” Keg and Cork stated, adding that bringing the self-pour concept to the Sacramento region is both economically and environmentally efficient.

An alcohol license from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control lists Debra and Philip Chanco as owners.

As of Thursday afternoon, representatives were not available for comment.

Customers won’t be asked to tip at Keg and Cork, according to its website, because the owners believe tips should be offered not requested.

“Your kind words and smiles are the best tips we could ask for!” the taproom stated.

Customer tips will be donated to a monthly chosen charity such as the Sacramento Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Sierra Donor Services, according to the business.

The self-pour system at Keg and Cork is performed in four steps, as mentioned on their website.

Pay for your beverage at the keg, hold your glass at a 45-degree angle, fully open the tap, and then pour.

The list of wines and beers will undergo frequent changes, as stated by Keg and Cork.

The current drink list features beer from various brewing companies across the western region including Sacramento, Chico and San Diego.

The brew list includes pale ale, kölsch, lager, IPA and more. Also available are chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, hard seltzer and kombucha.

Keg and Cork’s grand opening is from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 9, according to a Facebook post to customers. Light appetizers will be served from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Regular business hours

Regular business hours are from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday; from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays; and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday through Sunday.

What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com.

February 3, 2024 beer-articles

Unanimous Verdict: Top 3 Bartenders Reveal the Best Vodka for a Martini

Vodka, oh vodka. It’s one of those spirits that instantly brings a flavor memory to mind, whether it’s from souvenir shot glasses or a neutral vodka-soda. Meaning “little water” in Russian, vodka certainly gets a bad rap, and the same is sadly true of vodka martinis. But to that end I say, no more!

Even the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, which previously stated that, technically speaking, vodka should be “without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color” has gone back on its rulings. The bureau’s new amended definition gives vodka martini drinkers a lot more excitement to look forward to — and it shows.

Plenty of vodka brands are making far more complex martinis to enjoy and mix, according to bartenders. If you often opt for the more classic gin martini, it’s time to stir things up (literally, please don’t shake!) with a vodka martini.

What’s the trick to picking the best vodka for a martini? Know your grains! Contrary to popular belief, most vodkas are not made with potatoes, but from grains like wheat, barley, rye, and corn. Depending on the grain, you’ll get a wide variation in texture, sweetness, and, yes, a little burn.

After interviewing over a half-dozen bartenders, one grain was the cream of the crop when it came to vodka bases: wheat. “I prefer vodka distilled from 100% wheat,” says George Krpeyan, the general manager at The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, who says that many of the signature vodka cocktails he makes are with Grey Goose, a wheat-based vodka. “For my taste, wheat vodka tastes best.” Hailed for its delicate sweetness and smoothness, wheat vodka is some of the best for mixing, while rye-based vodka is often spicier, and corn-based vodka can tend to be on the buttery side.

Krpeyan is not alone in loving wheat-based vodkas, either. “My favorite vodka brand is Grey Goose. I’m French, so it is a plus, and I love the way the product is being curated and the full process and minds behind it,” says Simon Sebbah, the beverage director of Grand Tour Hospitality. “All of the vodka cocktails you can find at American Bar, Saint Theo’s, and Holiday Bar are based with Grey Goose.” Made from French winter wheat and brought up to proof with demineralized spring water from the nearby town of Cognac, Grey Goose has a crisp flavor that makes it the perfect backbone for a spirit-forward cocktail like the martini.

Grey Goose isn’t the only brand known for its crisp flavor profile. Other bartenders and beverage directors I interviewed sang the praises of other wheat-based vodkas, like Stoli Elite, Chopin, and Ketel One, all well-known for their crisp, clean finish with light hints of citrus.

With a cocktail as simple as the martini, the quality of all your components really matter. You’ll need dry vermouth, your vodka of choice, and perhaps some orange bitters or olive juice, all of which should be very much chilled. If you have enough time, freezing your glasses and stirring your martini will keep the cocktail ultra-silky — almost creamy, even.

From there, most classic martini recipes will call for a 2:1 or 3:1 vodka to vermouth ratio, a quick 30-second stir in your mixing glass with a large ice cube, and then strain into your martini glass. Add garnish (like a lemon twist, olives, or cocktail onions) and you’re done.

While martinis might seem intimidating to make, there’s one method that makes it almost too easy while also maintaining an ambrosial texture: just make a large freezer batch. “The freezer martini method builds on that texture,” says Pete Vasconcellos, beverage director for Albert’s Bar in New York. “Get a one-liter glass bottle with a tight-fitting lid. Figure out your favourite martini ratio (of vodka to vermouth) and scale it up to 750 milliliters (until it almost fills the bottle). Multiply the total volume by 20% (150 milliliters) and add that amount of distilled water. Put your martini batch in your glass bottle and in the freezer. When you’re ready to drink, just pour it into a chilled martini glass. No need to stir!”

This post originally ran on The Kitchn. See it there: We Asked 3 Bartenders to Name the Best Vodka for a Martini, and They All Said the Same Thing

February 2, 2024 liquor-articles

Innovating the Industry: Poway Winery’s Barrel-Aged Wines Infused with Bourbon, Rum, and Tequila Flavours

Barrel Riot Wines, true to its name, aspires to shake up the world of wine.

This wine maker based in Poway has chosen an unconventional path by crafting wines that resonate with the aroma and flavor profiles of rum, bourbon, and tequila.

In the 2020 San Diego International Wine & Spirits Competition, it was recognized with a gold winner for its Tequila Barrel-Aged Orange Muscat and with a silver for its Bourbon Barrel-Aged Cabernet Sauvignon.

Dan Lipsky, 50, the visionary behind Barrel Riot Wines, says, “Every wine I craft is aimed to usher in a whiff of joyfulness into an industry that has steadfastly adhered to tradition for millennia.” Dan sources his grapes from renowned locations including Temecula, Warner Springs, and Napa Valley.

“I’m not a farmer and I have no desire to be a farmer,” he said. “I’m definitely not one of those wine guys that wants to retire on a vineyard and take care of grapes. I’m more cutting-edge, wanting to create unique, fun products that will entice other drinkers than traditional wine drinkers.”

He compared his enterprise to the craft beer industry and brewers who age their beer in barrels that once contained bourbon or other spirits.

The home-brewer states his target market as bourbon, scotch, whiskey, tequila, rum and beer drinkers, who he wants to introduce to the wine product.

Lipsky ages his wines for approximately three to six months in barrels that were previously used to age bourbon, rum or tequila.

Four years ago, when the production commenced, the barrels used were the ones given by Cutwater Spirits in San Diego. When Cutwater ceased supplying barrels, the switch was made to importing barrels from the East Coast, Tennessee, and Kentucky. He procures his tequila barrels from Tequila, located in the state of Jalisco, Mexico.

The aging of some wines takes place at his residence on Midland Road, whilst others are aged in Warner Springs, east of Temecula.

According to Lipsky, Barrel Riot Wines is among the rare companies in the industry that prioritize rum-, tequila-, and bourbon-enhanced wines. The company offers 16 different wines, including but not limited to Tequila Barrel-Aged Zinfandel, Spirit Barrel-Aged Merlot, Bourbon Barrel-Aged Cabernet Sauvignon, and Rum Barrel-Aged Grenache.

He accomplished a significant milestone by the end of the previous year as the wholesaler Total Wine & More agreed to carry his Tequila Barrel-Aged Orange Muscat. According to him, this varietal is being distributed across 22 locations in Southern California.

Many wines from Barrel Riot are available for purchase at Smokin’ J’s BBQ, located on Midland Road in Poway.

Co-owner of Smokin’ J’s BBQ, Josh George, mentioned that two of their restaurants, one in Poway and another in the heart of San Diego, offer Barrel Riot’s wines. The wines are sold in quantities of 200 ml and 750 ml, priced at $15 and $45 respectively. The range of wines offered in the larger bottles includes the Orange Muscat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Zinfandel, and a special red blend. Most of Barrel Riot’s variety of wines are sold in the smaller bottle size.

George expressed his fondness for the uniqueness of their aging process and how the wines perfectly complement their BBQ dishes. He also felt that it was a good opportunity to support another local Poway business.

George further added that there has been a growing demand for these wines, particularly in the Poway area.

“It’s a unique offering for a restaurant, which we really like,” he said. “It helps differentiate ourselves and it helps that it goes along nicely with the food.”

The wine is also sold at the Farmers Market at Welk Resort in Escondido on Mondays and at the Poway Farmers Market Saturdays near Old Poway Park.

“I do not fortify the wines. I do not add any rum, bourbon, or tequila into the wine,” he stated. “I merely utilize barrels that have previously aged alcoholic beverages. The flavour of the timber permeates the wine, producing that unique taste.”

The private outdoor tasting space of Barrel Riot, located at the residence of Lipsky and his wife, April Lipsky, is at 13625 Midland Road. To use the outdoor area, which comes with free fire pits and music, reservations must be made through the BarrelRiot.com website, according to Lipsky.

The tasting deck, which can accommodate around 100 people, has previously been utilized for the Poway wrestling team’s Casino Night fundraiser, as well as a meeting place for the Poway Chamber of Commerce’s nonprofit event, Lipsky shared.

Apart from providing for community events and growing his business, Lipsky is excited to share his story of upheaval.

Barrel Riot Winery, 13625 Midland Road, Poway. barrelriot.com

Gallant writes for the U-T Community Press.

February 2, 2024 Uncategorized

Top 7 Wine Subscription Services for Home Delivery

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Love having wine delivered directly to your front door? You’re not alone, and that’s why wine subscriptions have become so popular. A simple and convenient way to try different wines without leaving the house, it’s also an excellent way to hone your taste buds while you sip. “Chosen wisely, wine clubs can expand your taste and lead you on compelling adventures,” says Alice Feiring, a wine specialist and the author and creator of the natural wine newsletter The Feiring Line. “But they can also be a terrific disappointment and waste of money.”

We compared seven different wine subscriptions to give you a better idea of the differences between them — it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it. One caveat: Though has been a hugely popular online pick, we decided not to include it after the company filed for bankruptcy right after the new year.

Ready to start sipping? Here’s everything you need to know about these popular wine subscriptions. (Of course, if you’re not a drinker, you can also look into other subscription services that may be more to your tastes, like coffee subscriptions and snack subscriptions.)

Firstleaf
Best wine subscription

Not only is Firstleaf our most affordable option but it offers tons of personal customization. We also like that it uses a clever algorithm to help you figure out your tastes, then suggests bottles you might enjoy going forward.

SommSelect
Best wine subscription for sommelier picks

SommSelect is all about giving you access to experts who can not only choose quality bottles but help figure out what tastes best to you. Each delivery is based on a theme, so you can try all kinds of wines based on things like regions or grape variety.

From $109 at SommSelect

Club Cutrer Best wine subscription from a California winery

Do you like to stick to California bottles? Club Cutrer is the perfect way to get intimate with all the wines this respected Russian River Valley winery creates throughout the year. You can also add extra bottles to your subscription order at a nice discount and get reduced prices on tours and tastings if you visit in person.

From $135 at Club Cutrer

Wine Access
Best wine subscription for education

Wine Access helps you learn more about what wines you like, as well as wine in general, by offering access to a free podcast to taste along to. And the MyCellar feature lets you rate your deliveries so you can easily buy your faves again or get notified when a bottle from a producer you enjoyed is available.

Henri’s Reserve
Best wine subscription for Champagne

If Champagne is your go-to, Henri’s Reserve is a trusted partner for high-end sparklers from France’s best private terroir. Here you’ll get gorgeous bottles you’d never find at your local wine store, and free shipping is included in all deliveries, so you can always add more bubbly with no fear of paying extra.

From $150 at Henri’s Reserve

Woman-Owned Wineries
Best wine subscription from female winemakers

Though only 14% of head winemakers in California are women, this unique subscription service highlights their efforts. Each month brings a delivery from a different female-led winery, chosen according to your tastes. The service also provides comprehensive information about the remarkable individuals behind each bottle.

From $107 at Woman-Owned Wineries

Naked Wines

Best wine subscription to connect with winemakers

By becoming an Angel investor at Naked Wines, you can have a more personal experience with your favorite wines worldwide. Your subscription fee supports independent vintners, allows you to buy bottles at wholesale prices, and even enables direct communication with the winemakers.

From $40 at Naked Wines

If you’re in search of a cost-effective choice, Firstleaf delivers both quality and value for money. The initial shipment costs $45 for six bottles, and subsequent six-bottle shipments start at $90. We also appreciate Firstleaf for its superb customization options and its capacity to learn our preferences over time, and the fact that there are no pre-set boxes or packets. The procedure begins with an online quiz, which includes basic questions (red or white?) as well as more general inquiries (how adventurous are you?). It then narrows down your preferences with questions about your liking for certain foods such as mushrooms or buttered toast. Following that, the Firstleaf algorithm condenses your responses and selects bottles that mirror your inputs.

Once you receive your wines, you’ll have the opportunity to fine-tune your future orders by returning to the Firstleaf website and rating each bottle. The AI continually modifies your preferences as you use it more, despite the fact that we would have preferred a deeper understanding of how this works after we choose the simplest thumbs-up or thumbs-down icons. A nice feature is the 100% satisfaction guarantee, which is Firstleaf’s commitment to refund the cost of a bottle if they choose a wine that you don’t appreciate.

The notion isn’t that SommSelect doubts your knowledge about wine; rather, it wishes to provide you with the advantage of its sommeliers’ expertise, led by their editorial director David Lynch, former wine director and general manager at Babbo. We tried the cheapest and most popular membership, the Explore 4, which delivers four bottles each month for $109. Each bottle is selected based on a specific theme, like Wines of Croatia; Que Syrah, Syrah; A Sparkling Wine World Tour; and Rosé Revisited. Our initial box was from the Finger Lakes and included two whites and two reds, but you could easily get something as basic as a grape variety or a concept such as “sparkling.” This allows you to experience a variety of different bottles that you may not have chosen yourself.

Other monthly club options include the Somm 6 with six bottles ($204) and the Somm 6 Reds ($225). Want something a little more exciting? SommSelect’s Blind 6 Club ($220) comes with six beautiful bottles wrapped in black tissue paper to hide the labels and a “blinding” kit to help you taste them and take notes.

For anyone trying to keep prices down, it’s important to note that though the Explore 4 is still $109, you have to pay $25 for shipping, which the company claims includes added insurance. The other club options include free shipping. We also signed up for SommSelect’s Daily Discoveries, a newsletter that spotlights wines its sommeliers are especially excited about.

Sonoma Cutrer is a well-respected, organic vineyard located in the Russian River Valley. We especially liked knowing exactly where our bottles were coming from as well as the expectation of quality craftsmanship from the Sonoma-based estate. Club Cutrer offers two options that will arrive at your door every February, May and October: Chardonnay Lovers and Winemaker’s Selection, and you can choose from four (from $135), six (from $210) or 12 (from $300) bottles. We chose the four-bottle Winemaker’s Selection, and though the first shipment was not in time for the winery’s limited production Pinot Noir, we received one Founder’s Reserve Chardonnay and a Grand Cuvée sparkling in our box.

Not sure what to choose? A quiz focusing on preferred flavors, like zesty lemon and dark chocolate, will help you figure out the best membership level and varietals. In addition to your three deliveries per year, you’ll also get special membership pricing if you’d like to supplement your shipments with customized bottles from the website. And if you live close by or choose to visit the region, you can take advantage of free tasting events and an annual winery tour.

If you’re as passionate about studying wine as you are about drinking it, Wine Access proves to be an invaluable recourse. There are nine various clubs, each shipping bottles quarterly. You can opt for premium offerings like WA Connoisseurs (starting at $150 for two bottles) and WA Collectors (beginning at $150 for a lone bottle), or the more accessible Wine for Normal People (priced from $150 for six bottles). I had the pleasure of trying out the ($120 for four bottles six times annually). This club provides access to the Unfiltered podcast, led by wine guru and social media celebrity Amanda McCrossin, alongside videos and printed narratives that delve into each bottle, enabling you to sip along. The podcast provided a fun and educational supplement to my wine learning journey.

Other worthwhile features of Wine Access include the possibilities to modify delivery dates, add wines to your club order at 10% off without additional shipping costs, and access to the site’s My Cellar feature. This tool lets you rate different bottles, reorder your favourites, receive notifications about new releases from your preferred producers, and even shop wines similar to your top picks from previous tastings.

For enthusiasts of French sparkling wines, Henri’s Reserve offers a fascinating opportunity to expand your Champagne knowledge beyond the well-known brands. The offerings include bottles sourced from France’s most esteemed terroirs and, more specifically, smaller, lesser-known private estates that are rare finds in your local liquor store. This Champagne Club has three levels, shipping two bottles per month and offering flexible payment plans: annually ($1,800), bi-monthly ($900), or quarterly ($600). Or you might opt for a pay-as-you-go plan at $150 per delivery.

Fortunately, all deliveries include shipping costs, which makes the pay-as-you-go option more appealing. The true appeal of the Henri’s Reserve Champagne Club, however, lies in the quality of Champagne included, selected by industry veterans Robert Houde (former head sommelier at Charlie Trotter) and Ruth Frantz (president of Henri’s Reserve). You’ll find these Champagnes on the menus of some of the most luxurious restaurants worldwide, like French Laundry, Per Se, and Eleven Madison Park.

According to a research conducted by Santa Clara University, a meager 14% of Californian wineries have a woman as their chief winemaker. This prompts our appreciation for the Wine Club from Women Owned Wineries. They deliver a well-selected range of wines from a female winemaker every month. They offer various subscription options, allowing to choose the frequency and type of wine. The Classic Club offers three bottles for $107 per month. Double Your Pleasure costs $199 per month for six bottles. Red Wine Lovers caters three bottles of red bi-monthly for $218 per month. For Seasonal Club, you get three bottles quarterly for $107 per shipment. We eagerly anticipate the next delivery following our first shipment which included three fantastic selections from Sonoma, CA-based Camp Rose Cellars.

Each shipment comes with a $25 flat fee. But you can add more bottles at a 10% discount if there are others you desire to try out on the site. For non-alcohol consumers, there’s a Less is More Club that goes for $97 per shipment and no shipping fees. We especially love the comprehensive description of each vintner that comes with the package. For more knowledge, the website hosts an online directory featuring about 600 women winemakers.

Naked Wines intends to incorporate you into the wine production process with their crowdfunding system. They enable you to liaise with winemakers directly and provide a cheaper, personalized selection. A team of wine professionals curate the wine list, featuring quality, independent winemakers. You can enjoy access to exclusive wines across the world as an Angel subscriber for $40 per month. Naked Wines provides a voucher for the first order, offering six bottles for just $40, which equates to a $100 discount. They apply the $40 monthly Angel investment to any bottles you wish to buy. Each bottle’s price equals its wholesale pricing. If you are pleased with a wine, you can appreciate the winemaker directly. This allows Naked Wines to utilize technology to establish a more intimate global community. It also offers an opportunity for consumers to be more engaged and aware that they’re supporting winemakers directly.

With the wide range of subscriptions available today, choosing the right one can seem daunting. Every service varies in aspects such as price, frequency of delivery, covered regions, and the specific type of wine they offer. This leaves a lot to consider before making a final choice. Edouard Bourgeois, the wine director at Pressoir Wine, a community of wine enthusiasts based in NYC, asserts, “I believe strongly that a wine subscription should mirror the client’s preference in terms of budget and taste. Essentially, an effective wine subscription should function similarly to a sommelier, prioritizing the best interests of the client.”

Leah Adint, the chief winemaker at Erath Winery, recommends considering specifics that attract you to the type of wine you wish to sample. “Are you interested in wines from a single manufacturer or several manufacturers? Factors like the winery’s legacy, sustainability practices, designation as single vineyards or blends can guide you through the plethora of online wine clubs.”

Once you’ve formed a clearer idea of what catches your interest, it’s critical to ensure that the wines you’re getting are of good quality. This involves inquiries regarding their selection process for wines and who is responsible for making these decisions. Trusting your intuition is also crucial. Michele Pravda, the proprietor of Smith & Vine, a local wine shop located in Carroll Garden, Brooklyn, notes, “Trust is key in these situations. The source of your club or subscription should be credible. Are the wines being tested? Do they maintain a diverse array of producers and suppliers to ensure the subscription remains varied and engaging for its duration?”

And if you’re asking all these questions but getting no answers, you may want to take a hard pass. “Look for a real live person and a name or a store behind the club. You want someone who has something to lose if the drinker is disappointed,” adds Feiring.

A few other things to keep in mind are shipping and cancellation policies. You may be offered a great deal, but shipping to your specific state could make things a lot more expensive. “Make sure you know the final cost of each shipment before you sign up,” adds Adint. “Also make sure you can cancel if you change your mind — no one likes being stuck in a subscription that charges you or makes it difficult to cancel.”

Note: The prices above reflect the retailers’ listed price at the time of publication.

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